The project has been supported with help from the Homeboy Industries in downtown Los Angeles

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Steven continued: “When I started Skin Deep I had a simple concept: take portraits of heavily tattooed ex-gang members and remove the tattoos using digital re-touching to create before and after portraits.

“Most of the homeboys/girls hadn't seen themselves without tattoos for decades, so during the interviews I presented the images. There was a deep emotional response by the subjects.

Steven Burton/ Skin Deep

Steven has launched a Kickstarter campaign to turn the series into a photo book

Steven Burton/ Skin Deep

Steven said the subjects felt "emotional" after seeing their skin tatt-free

Steven Burton/ Skin Deep

Many of the participants had suffered "abuse, violence and drug addiction"

“They revealed very personal sometimes shocking details about the abuse, violence and drug addiction they had suffered for most of their lives.”

The project has been supported with help from the Homeboy Industries in downtown Los Angeles.